And we can comment SO much about this interview. I'll start by saying that the following paragraph was actually quite moving to me:

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Youíll be using WETA Digital for the effects? GDT: Yes, the essential elements for keeping continuity are on track, in the last few weeks Iíve been chatting with a ton of people via email, phone, and in person from the previous films. People like Andy Serkis, Sir Ian McKellen, Howard Shore, John Howe, Gino Acevedo, Richard Taylor next week Iím meeting Alan Lee. Iím doing this to ensure that whatever we do we keep continuity with the other films, yes itís a world that is slightly more golden at the beginning, a very innocent environment.

What I have repeatedly expressed as my biggest fear about a different director was destroyed here. Middle Earth will look and sound as the Middle Earth we know. If Shore, Lee and Howe are in, then they can do no wrong.

As several of you have said, talk about the second film is quite reassuring. One thing strikes me as the most important in this department:

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There will be certain things that we will see from the first movie but from a different point of view.

That means Gandalf point of view from the Quest.

About animatronics. Great decision. Lord of the Rings didn't suffer as much as the Star Wars prequels from CGI creatures, but I agree with what someone said: physical is physical after all, there's still a long way for every CGI shot to look completely "in-shot". I am concerned though as to what they will do with Smaug. A huge dragon animatronic can go wrong in so many ways. However, I trust WETA, and I'm not going to start a whole doubting campaign against a hypothetical possibility. I'll keave just as a comment.

The palette. I knew that was happening. Del Toro shoots really bright colors and so many contrasts. His color brightness (within reality, not Kill Bill like) is probably second only to Yimou Zhang's (Hero, House of the Flying Daggers). And actually, I believe this will work. The Shire, is really in another epoch, and the ambience will actually benefit from a brighter lens. The Halls Under the Mountain should look particularly impressive with Del Toro's love for dark locations, as well.

From what I've gathered, I believe that palette will also evolve, and by the time we reach the end of Movie 2, we should be in Jackson's palette. Think of it, that will be so interesting... using colour as a means of showing progress in the story, and movement towards darker times.

Having said that, I'm very happy Del Toro thinks The Hobbit is a "self-contained movie". A 3 1/2 hour long Hobbit should do wonders for the story.

Someone also mentioned in this thread (I'm sorry I'm not naming anyone, but I'm just working with all the pieces of info I remember) about the two-movie Hobbit as opposed to Hobbit + sprequel. (yes, I'm inventing the term, this one is the rare movie that's both prequel and sequel). The note you saw is probably confused. New Line still has the rights to both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and production can use anything they want from both stories and the Appendices, but not, as you mention, material such as The Quest for Erebor. Actually, from what we know, the second movie is legally mentioned as "Lord of the Rings prequel", thus being attached to the LotR rights, rather than The Hobbit ones.

I have rambled on a lot, so I'll just close it now. I'm really thrilled about all that's been said, and for me the one thing that would put the cherry on top of the sundae of this great week would be Christopher Lee's confirmation for movie 2, and the production's firm purpose of making him a shooting priority. Here's to Del Toro becoming the Irvin Kershner of Middle Earth!